The District of Huntingdonshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2002

Statutory Instruments

2002 No. 2984

LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ENGLAND

The District of Huntingdonshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2002

Made

2nd December 2002

Coming into force in accordance with article 1(2), (3) and (4)

Whereas the Boundary Committee for England(1), acting pursuant to section 15(4) of the Local Government Act 1992(2), has submitted to the Electoral Commission(3) a report dated April 2002 on its review of the district of Huntingdonshire together with its recommendations:

And whereas the Electoral Commission have decided to give effect to those recommendations:

And whereas a period of not less than six weeks has expired since the receipt of those recommendations:

Now, therefore, the Electoral Commission, in exercise of the powers conferred on them by sections 17(4) and 26(5) of the Local Government Act 1992, and of all other powers enabling them in that behalf, hereby make the following Order:

Citation and commencement

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the District of Huntingdonshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2002.

(2) This order, with the exception of articles 5, 6, 8 and 9, shall come into force—

(a) for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to any election to be held on 6th May 2004, on 15th October 2003;

(b) for all other purposes, on 6th May 2004.

(3) Articles 5 and 9 shall come into force—

(a) for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of a parish councillor for the parishes of Houghton and Wyton, and The Stukeleys to be held on 4th May 2006, on 15th October 2005;

(b) for all other purposes, on 4th May 2006.

(4) Articles 6 and 8 shall come into force—

(a) for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of a parish councillor for the parishes of Huntingdon and St Neots to be held on 3rd May 2007, on 15th October 2006;

(b) for all other purposes, on 3rd May 2007.

Interpretation

2.  In this Order—

“district” means the district of Huntingdonshire;

“existing”, in relation to a ward, means the ward as it exists on the date this Order is made; and

any reference to the map is a reference to the map marked “Map referred to in the District of Huntingdonshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2002”, of which prints are available for inspection at—

(a) the principal office of the Electoral Commission; and

(b) the offices of Huntingdonshire District Council.

Wards of the district of Huntingdonshire

3.—(1) The existing wards of the district(6) shall be abolished.

(2) The district shall be divided into twenty-nine wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 1.

(3) The wards shall comprise the areas described in column (2) of that Schedule by reference to parishes or, where an area is not so described, the area designated on the map by reference to the name of the ward and demarcated by red lines; and the number of councillors to be elected for each ward shall be the number specified in respect of the ward in column (3) of that Schedule.

(4) Where a boundary is shown on the map as running along a road, railway line, footway, watercourse or similar geographical feature, it shall be treated as running along the centre line of the feature.

Elections of the council of Huntingdonshire

4.—(1) Elections of all councillors for all wards of the district shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004(7)(8).

(2) The councillors holding office for any ward of the district immediately before 10th May 2004 shall retire on that date and the newly elected councillors for those wards shall come into office on that date.

(3) The order of retirement of councillors shall be as set out in Schedule 2.

(4) Where the number of councillors elected in 2004 for any ward of the district is two or more—

(a) the first to retire shall, subject to paragraphs (6) and (7), be the councillor elected by the smallest number of votes; and

(b) the second to retire shall, subject to those paragraphs, be the councillor elected by the next smallest number of votes.

(5) In the case of an equality of votes between any persons elected which makes it uncertain which of them is to retire in any year, the person to retire in that year shall be determined by lot.

(6) If an election of councillors for any ward is not contested, the person to retire in each year shall be determined by lot.

(7) Where under this article any question is to be determined by lot, the lot shall be drawn at the next practicable meeting of the council after the question has arisen and the drawing shall be conducted under the direction of the person presiding at the meeting.

Wards of the parish of Houghton and Wyton

5.  The parish of Houghton and Wyton shall be divided into two parish wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 3; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the district ward specified in respect of the parish ward in column (2) of that Schedule; and the number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward shall be the number specified in respect of the parish ward in column (3) of that Schedule.

Wards of the parish of Huntingdon

6.—(1) The existing wards of the parish of Huntingdon shall be abolished.

(2) The parish shall be divided into three parish wards which shall bear the names Huntingdon East, Huntingdon North and Huntingdon West; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the district ward bearing the same name.

(3) The number of councillors to be elected for the Huntingdon East parish ward shall be eight and for each of the Huntingdon North and Huntingdon West parish wards shall be four.

Wards of the parish of St Ives

7.—(1) The existing wards of the parish of St Ives shall be abolished.

(2) The parish shall be divided into three parish wards which shall bear the names St Ives East, St Ives South and St Ives West; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the district ward bearing the same name.

(3) The number of councillors to be elected for each of the St Ives East and St Ives South parish wards shall be six and for the St Ives West parish ward shall be four.

Wards of the parish of St Neots

8.—(1) The existing wards of the parish of St Neots shall be abolished.

(2) The parish shall be divided into four parish wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 4; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the district ward specified in respect of the parish ward in column (2) of that Schedule; and the number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward shall be the number specified in respect of the parish ward in column (3) of that Schedule.

Wards of the parish of The Stukeleys

9.  The parish of The Stukeleys shall be divided into two parish wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 5; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the district ward specified in respect of the parish ward in column (2) of that Schedule; and the number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward shall be the number specified in respect of the parish ward in column (3) of that Schedule.

Parish Elections

10.—(1) Elections of all parish councillors for the parishes of Brampton, Broughton, Conington, Godmanchester, Great Gidding, Hemingford Abbots, Hilton, Little Gidding, Little Paxton, Old Hurst, Pidley cum Fenton, St Ives, Sawtry, Warboys and Woodhurst shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004 and every fourth year after 2004.

(2) Elections of all parish councillors for the parishes of Alconbury, Alconbury Weston, Alwalton, Buckden, Bury, Elton, Farcet, Great Paxton, Hemingford Grey, Houghton and Wyton, Offord Cluny, Offord Darcy, Sibson cum Stibbington, The Stukeleys, Toseland, Upton and Coppingford, Wistow and Yelling shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2006 and every fourth year after 2006.

(3) Elections of all parish councillors for the parishes of Abbotsley, Abbots Ripton, Barham and Woolley, Bluntisham, Brington and Molesworth, Buckworth, Bythorn and Keyston, Colne, Earith, Easton, Ellington, Eynesbury Hardwicke, Fenstanton, Grafham, Great Gransden, Great Staughton, Hail Weston, Holme, Holywell-cum-Needingworth, Huntingdon, Kings Ripton, Leighton, Old Weston, Perry, Ramsey, St Neots, St Neots Rural, Somersham, Spaldwick, Stilton, Upwood and The Raveleys, Waresley, Woodwalton and Yaxley shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2007 and every fourth year after 2007.

(4) The term of office of every parish councillor elected on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2003 for the parish of Glatton shall be five years.

(5) Elections of all parish councillors for the parish of Glatton shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2008 and every fourth year after 2008.

(6) The term of office of every parish councillor elected on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2003 for the parish of Folksworth and Washingley shall be three years.

(7) Elections of all parish councillors for the parish of Folksworth and Washingley shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2006 and every fourth year after 2006.

(8) The term of office of every parish councillor elected on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004 for the parishes of Catworth, Kimbolton, Stow Longa and Tilbrook shall be three years.

(9) Elections of all parish councillors for the parishes of Catworth, Kimbolton, Stow Longa and Tilbrook shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2007 and every fourth year after 2007.

(10) Elections of all parish councillors for the parish of Southoe and Midloe shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004, 2006 and every fourth year after 2006.

(11) The term of office of every parish councillor elected on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004 for the parish of Southoe and Midloe shall be two years.

(12) Rule 8 of the Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) Rules 1986(9) (filling of casual vacancies) shall have effect, in the case of a casual vacancy occurring before 5th May 2008 in the office of a parish councillor for the parish of Glatton as if the references in paragraphs (1) and (4) of that rule to the day on which that councillor would regularly have retired were a reference to 5th May 2008.

Maps

11.  Huntingdonshire District Council shall make a print of the map marked “Map referred to in the District of Huntingdonshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2002” available for inspection at its offices by any member of the public at any reasonable time.

Electoral Registers

12.  The Electoral Registration Officer(10) for the district shall make such rearrangement of, or adaptation of, the register of local government electors as may be necessary for the purposes of, and in consequence of, this Order.

Revocation

13.  The District of Huntingdon (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1976(11) is revoked, save for articles 5 and 6(8).

Signed by the members of the Electoral Commission

Pamela Gordon

Commissioner

2nd December 2002

Glyn Mathias

Commissioner

2nd December 2002

Neil McIntosh

Commissioner

2nd December 2002

Karamjit Singh

Commissioner

2nd December 2002

Sam Younger

Commissioner

2nd December 2002

Graham Zellick

Commissioner

2nd December 2002

article 3

SCHEDULE 1 NAMES AND AREAS OF WARDS AND NUMBERS OF COUNCILLORS

(1)	(2)	(3)
Name of Ward	Area of Ward	Number of councillors
Alconbury and The Stukeleys		1
Brampton	The parishes of Brampton, Grafham and Perry	2
Buckden	The parishes of Buckden, Diddington, and Southoe and Midloe	1
Earith	The parishes of Bluntisham, Earith and Holywell-cum-Needingworth	2
Ellington	The parishes of Barham and Woolley, Brington and Molesworth, Buckworth, Bythorn and Keyston, Catworth, Easton, Ellington, Leighton, Old Weston, Spaldwick and Stow Longa	1
Elton and Folksworth	The parishes of Alwalton, Chesterton, Elton, Folksworth and Washingley, Haddon, Morborne, Sibson cum Stibbington and Water Newton	1
Fenstanton	The parish of Fenstanton	1
Godmanchester	The parish of Godmanchester	2
Gransden and The Offords	The parishes of Abbotsley, Great Gransden, Great Paxton, Offord Cluny, Offord Darcy, St Neots Rural, Tetworth, Toseland, Waresley and Yelling and the parish ward of Spinney of the detached parish of Eynesbury Hardwicke	2
Huntingdon East		3
Huntingdon North		2
Huntingdon West		2
Kimbolton and Staughton	The parishes of Covington, Great Staughton, Hail Weston, Kimbolton and Tilbrook	1
Little Paxton	The parish of Little Paxton	1
Ramsey	The parish of Ramsey	3
St Ives East		2
St Ives South		2
St Ives West		1
St Neots Eaton Ford		2
St Neots Eaton Socon		2
St Neots Eynesbury		3
St Neots Priory Park		2
Sawtry	The parishes of Conington, Glatton, Great Gidding, Hamerton, Little Gidding, Sawtry, Steeple Gidding, Upton and Coppingford, and Winwick	2
Somersham	The parishes of Broughton, Colne, Old Hurst, Pidley cum Fenton, Somersham and Woodhurst	2
Stilton	The parishes of Denton and Caldecote, Holme and Stilton	1
The Hemingfords		2
Upwood and The Raveleys		1
Warboys and Bury	The parishes of Bury, Warboys and Wistow	2
Yaxley and Farcet	The parishes of Farcet and Yaxley	3

article 4(3)

SCHEDULE 2 ORDER OF RETIREMENT OF COUNCILLORS

(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
Name of Ward	Number of councillors to retire in 2006	Number of councillors to retire in 2007	Number of councillors to retire in 2008
Alconbury and The Stukeleys	1	0	0
Brampton	0	1	1
Buckden	1	0	0
Earith	1	1	0
Ellington	0	1	0
Elton and Folksworth	1	0	0
Fenstanton	0	1	0
Godmanchester	1	0	1
Gransden and The Offords	1	1	0
Huntingdon East	1	1	1
Huntingdon North	0	1	1
Huntingdon West	1	1	0
Kimbolton and Staughton	0	1	0
Little Paxton	0	0	1
Ramsey	1	1	1
St Ives East	1	0	1
St Ives South	1	0	1
St Ives West	0	0	1
St Neots Eaton Ford	0	1	1
St Neots Eaton Socon	0	1	1
St Neots Eynesbury	1	1	1
St Neots Priory Park	1	1	0
Sawtry	1	0	1
Somersham	0	1	1
Stilton	0	1	0
The Hemingfords	1	0	1
Upwood and The Raveleys	0	1	0
Warboys and Bury	1	0	1
Yaxley and Farcet	1	1	1

article 5

SCHEDULE 3 WARDS OF THE PARISH OF HOUGHTON AND WYTONNAMES AND AREAS OF WARDS AND NUMBERS OF COUNCILLORS

(1)	(2)	(3)
Name of Ward	Area of Ward	Number of councillors
Airfield	So much of the district ward of Upwood and The Raveleys as comprises part of the parish of Houghton and Wyton	4
Houghton and Wyton	So much of the district ward of The Hemingfords as comprises part of the parish of Houghton and Wyton	9

article 8

SCHEDULE 4 WARDS OF THE PARISH OF ST NEOTS NAMES AND AREAS OF WARDS AND NUMBERS OF COUNCILLORS

(1)	(2)	(3)
Name of Ward	Area of Ward	Number of councillors
St Neots Eaton Ford	The district ward of St Neots Eaton Ford	4
St Neots Eaton Socon	The district ward of St Neots Eaton Socon	4
St Neots Eynesbury	So much of the district ward of St Neots Eynesbury as comprises part of the parish of St Neots	6
St Neots Priory Park	The district ward of St Neots Priory Park	4

article 9

SCHEDULE 5 WARDS OF THE PARISH OF THE STUKELEYS NAMES AND AREAS OF WARDS AND NUMBERS OF COUNCILLORS

(1)	(2)	(3)
Name of Ward	Area of Ward	Number of councillors
Hinchingbrooke	So much of the district ward of Huntingdon West as comprises part of the parish of The Stukeleys	3
The Stukeleys	So much of the district ward of Alconbury and The Stukeleys as comprises part of the parish of The Stukeleys	13

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order gives effect to recommendations by the Boundary Committee for England, a committee of the Electoral Commission, for electoral changes in the district of Huntingdonshire.

The changes have effect in relation to local government elections to be held on and after 6th May 2004.

Article 3 abolishes the existing wards of the district and provides for the creation of 29 new wards. That article and Schedule 1 also make provision for the names and areas of, and numbers of councillors for, the new wards.

Article 4 makes provision for a whole council election in 2004 and for reversion to the established system of election by thirds in subsequent years.

Schedule 2 provides for the order of retirement of councillors.

Articles 5 to 9 make electoral changes in the parishes of Houghton and Wyton, Huntingdon, St Ives, St Neots and The Stukeleys.

Article 10 provides for elections of parish councils in the district.

Article 12 obliges the Electoral Registration Officer to make any necessary amendments to the electoral register to reflect the new electoral arrangements.

Article 13 revokes the District of Huntingdon (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1976 (S.I. 1976/401), with the exception of articles 5 and 6(8).

The areas of the new district wards are demarcated on the map described in article 2. Prints of the map may be inspected at all reasonable times at the offices of Huntingdonshire District Council and at the principal office of the Electoral Commission at Trevelyan House, Great Peter Street, London SW1P 2HW.

(1)

The Boundary Committee for England is a committee of the Electoral Commission, established by the Electoral Commission in accordance with section 14 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (c. 41). The Local Government Commission for England (Transfer of Functions) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/3962) transferred to the Electoral Commission the functions of the Local Government Commission for England.

(2)

1992 c. 19. This section has been amended by S.I. 2001/3962.

(3)

The Electoral Commission was established by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (c. 41). The functions of the Secretary of State, under sections 13 to 15 and 17 of the Local Government Act 1992, to the extent that they relate to electoral arrangements within the meaning of that Act, were transferred with modifications to the Electoral Commission on 1st April 2002 (S.I. 2001/3962).

(4)

This section has been amended by S.I. 2001/3962. There are amendments to this section made otherwise than by S.I. 2001/3962 that are not relevant to this Order.

(5)

This section has been amended by S.I. 2001/3962.

(6)

See the District of Huntingdon (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1976 (S.I. 1976/401). The name of the district was changed from Huntingdon to Huntingdonshire on 1st October 1984, following a resolution of Huntingdon District Council.

(7)

Article 4 provides for a single election of all the councillors and for reversion to the system of election by thirds, as established by articles 5 and 6(8) of the District of Huntingdon (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1976 (S.I. 1976/401).

(8)

For the ordinary day of election of councillors of local government areas, see section 37 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2), amended by section 18(2) of the Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50) and section 17 of, and paragraphs 1 and 5 of Schedule 3 to, the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (c. 29).

(9)

S.I. 1986/2215, to which there are amendments not relevant to this Order.

(10)

As to electoral registration officers and the register of local government electors, see sections 8 to 13 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2).

(11)

S.I. 1976/401.